Receptacle and cover operating mechanism therefor



Feb. 20, 1934. CAROL; 1,948,413

RECEPTACLE AND COVER OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed May 23, 1932 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE RECEPTACLE AND COVER OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Application May 23, 1932.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to operating mechanism for hinged covers of receptacles of a type commonly used for garbage receptacles and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide mechanism for operating the hinged covers of receptacles of simple and effective construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple mechanism for holding the operating mechanism of a hinged cover of a receptacle in open position.

A further object of this invention is to provide an operating mechanism for hinged covers of receptacles of simple construction and having a latch device for retaining it in open position, the

construction of the mechanism being such that there will be no inherent tendency for the operating mechanism to release itself from the latch.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a receptacle having a hinged cover, operating mechanism for opening the cover and in which the force of gravity continually tends to close the cover, and a latch mechanism for holding the cover open against the force of gravity at its furthest open position, no retrograde motion being necessary to effect the latching.

The accompanying drawing serves to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment except as specified in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a receptacle according to this invention showing the cover closed in solid lines, and open in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the latch device; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the operating treadle lever pivot pin showing the lever in section, and showing in dotted lines the position of the lever when latched.

In the drawing, numeral 1 refers to the body of a receptacle for garbage or the like having a hinged cover 2 adapted to be operated by foot by operating mechanism designated generally by numeral 3. The receptacle is preferably supported spaced from the floor or ground by legs 4. 60 The cover may be hingedly connected with the body of the receptacle by a pin 5 which passes through an extension or bracket 6 of the cover and through openings in one or more brackets '7 attached to the body of the receptacle. It is 55 apparent that by this arrangement the hinge con- Serial No. 613,124

nection is at a point slightly spaced from the back of the body of the receptacle.

A link 8 is pivotally attached at 9 to the cover or bracket 6 at a point between the back of the receptacle body and the hinge connection, where- 6 by upward movement of link 8 causes the cover to open as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and the cover is not permitted to close until link 8 is permitted to move downwardly. The lower end of link 8 is loosely, pivotally connected at 10 with the rear end of a treadle lever 11. The rear end of the lever 11 is provided with an opening 19 through which a bolt or pin 20 passes. This bolt also passes through link 8 and is slightly longer than the combined thickness of the link and lever. The opening 19 in lever 11 is somewhat larger than the bolt so as to provide a loose connection. The treadle lever extends forwardly from the link underneath the bottom of the receptacle body, and extends forwardly beyond the front of the receptacle sufficiently to provide a foot treadle 12. The treadle may be provided with a sharp spur 21 to prevent slipping of the foot on the treadle. The treadle lever is inter mediately fulcrumed beneath the receptacle body by a pin 13 supported in a bracket 14' attached to the bottom of the receptacle by any means (not shown) such as bolts, welding, or the like. The pin 13 provides a sliding fulcrum for lever 11 as the lever may slide laterally on the pin or the pin may slide in its supporting bracket 14.

A latch bracket 15 is attached to the bottom of the receptacle by means (not shown) such as bolts, welding, or the like. The latch bracket comprises vertical sides 16 forming a guide and retainer for the lever 11 and an ofiset portion 17 having a substantially horizontal flat surface 18, beneath which the lever 11 will be retained when the receptacle cover is latched in open position.

The proportions of the cover operating mechanism are such that when the cover is in open position it is still at an angle with the vertical and tends by gravity to return to closed position; hence upon release of the treadle lever the cover automatically closes.

As previously pointed out, the pivotal connection 10 of link 8 and lever 11 is loose and this permits shifting of the forward end of lever 11 to one side to some extent without imparting a torsional stress in link 8. It has also been pointed out that the fulcrum of lever 11 on pin 13 is slidable either by sliding of the lever on the pin, or by sliding of the pin in its supporting bracket. By this construction the cover may be lstantially perpendicular li raised to open position by stepping upon treadle l2, and by movement of the treadle to one side, in the direction or" offset 17 of bracket 15, the lever will horizontally pivot about the loose connection 10, and lever 11 will be moved under retaining surface 18 of the latch. When in latched position there is no force tending to remove lever 11 from latched position, as no torsion has been imparted to link 8 and by reason of the sliding fulcrum at pin 10 no pivotal displacement of linl: 3 about its upper end has occurred. Since there is no force tending to remove lever 11 from beneath r taining surface 18 it is unnecessary to provide this surface with a catch lug beneath which the lever would have to pass to and from latched position. This enables the cover to be held in its highest practical position as there is no retrograde motion of the cover when the treadle is released in latched position, such as would occur if a retaining lug on surface 18 to over come releasing forces were provided.

What is claimed is:

l. In a receptacle and associated cover and cover-operati mechanism, in combination, a

receptacle body, a cover for the receptacle, a

bracket extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the receptacle body, a hinge connection between the cover and bracket at a point spaced the rear of the receptacle body, a subhingedly connected with the cover between the said hinge connection and the receptacle body, substantially horizontal lever beneath the receptacle having one end loosely connected with the lower end of the .said link, a pivotal support for said lever intermediate its ends, a forward extension. of said lever adapted serve as a treadle, and a latch secured beneath the receptacle and provided with a plain horizontal. surface beneath which the forward arm of the lever may be placed by lateral movement when th cover is held in open position, and from which the lever may be disengaged when desired by horizontal movement in reverse direction, without depressing the treadle, for permitting the cover to close by gravity when desired, said latch and horizontal surface being associated with adjacent vertical guides adapted to limit the movement of the lever in a horizontal direction, and being also associated with a second horizontal surface suitably positioned below the first-mentioned horizontal surface and adapted to limit the downward movement of the lever.

2. In a receptacle and associated cover and cover-operating mechanism, in combination, a receptacle body, a cover for the receptacle, a bracket extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the receptacle body, a hinge connection between the cover and bracket at a point spaced in the rear of the receptacle body, a substantially perpendicular link hingedly connected with the cover between the said hinge connection the receptacle body, a substantially horizontal lever beneath the receptacle having one end loosely connected with the lower end of the said link, a pivotal support for said lever intermediate its ends, a forward extension of said lever adapted to a treadle, and a latch secured r re r ceptacle and provided with a plain horiz surface beneath which the forward n or the lever may be placed by lateral movement the cover is held in open position, l which the lever may be disengaged desired by horizontal movement in reverse wlthc'-"t depressing the treadle, for perthe cover to close by gravity when desaid latch and horizontal surface being associated iith additional guiding surfaces limitboth the vertical and horizontal movement of lever.

CLARA V. CAROLA,

of the Estate of Charles Carola,

Deceased.

Lat 

